Booking Club Sites for May 2019

RowenaBCAMC
RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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edited April 2018 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to let you know that right now you can book up to and including 30 April 2019, and on 2 May 2018 you will be able to book for stays up to the end of May 2019 – including the May Bank Holidays 6 & 27 May 2019. 

Happy holidays! cool

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Comments

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #2

    Ro,

    as these rolling releases seem to be a bit random as to which date they appear (and which periods they cover) should they all be in one post, only updated by Ro, so that it van remain short, and serve as a reference point...perhaps a stick called Rolling Release Dates?

    otherwise, this one will get polluted with varying views and also,get lost among all the other posts in this section.

    for many, this is a very valuable pice of reference info....

    perhaps even a diary of releases for the next twelve months...?

    thanks.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,065 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #3

    Good idea BB.smile

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #4

    People who don't use the forum area can find it in "what's on" at the top of the page under latest news.

    see here

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #6

    Possibly May and June will need to be linked as I think this is also planned for July/August?

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited April 2018 #7

    Don't think there will be any issues, given the costs of CAMC pitches in school holidays, wonder how many families will be booking full weeks surprised We won't be yell

    As this year we will only be booking the Whitsun BH weekend due to the up to 67% premium applied to school holidays.

    Next Easter we are at over £40 per night for a family of 2 adults, 1 child frown an increase of 5% on this year.  Our first Easter on a CAMC site, Cheddar, was only £30 per night in 2016. We used a CL in 2017 at £14, and this year £38.4 on a CAMC site. Our household income has been frozen over that period, like so many families. So we will be doing less nights overall, and fewer on CAMC sites in family holiday periods.

     

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #8

    Unfortunately peak times have always attracted a premium. Although it will always be possible to quote exceptions, I don't think the CAMC is any worse than a lot of other providers. Unlike the Easter holiday, in our experience of the end of May BH week, sites are full, or almost so. Presumably prices are accceptable to enough. Unless that changes they are unlikely to come down.

    Whilst extending the booking will in most cases be possibe, it just seems an unnecessary complication.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #9

    Steve, this was exactly the issue with the old release of 'chunks'..

    The New Year period was bookable upto the 3rd of Jan but the remainder of the week (surely a popular break, certainly for us) couldn't be booked till much later...

    we are now in danger of reverting back to a 'chunk' system (rather than a rolling month system) where 'someone' makes a decision as to which weeks go in which chunks....and, of course, when they are released...

    there will always be an 'issue' for some when dates are released, but I agree, splitting school holidays is a no-no....

    however, now we have to ensure that all school holidays from all areas are catered for in each release.....starting to get tricky as there are so many holiday periods, especially when you have to roll up all educational timetables.....

    good luck with that CCundecided

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited April 2018 #10

    Just seems to me we have gone from an annual bun fight where a few disgruntled punters moaned cos they thought everyone was block booking 52 weekends then not turning up to a monthly one where you have to remember to book the 4 or 5 weekends in the month for the next year at a random day each month.

    Progress???undecided

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited April 2018 #11

    Whatever cut-off date is selected there will doubtless be someone who will complain that they are unable to book a pitch to attend next years 'haywain and ploughing match' meeting that occurs nearby.

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #12

    When will we be provided with a release schedule for the rest of the year ??? 

  • Watersideranger
    Watersideranger Forum Participant Posts: 31
    edited April 2018 #13

    A memeber for over thirty years, I have seen several booking systems, from the form in the handbook which you filled and posted with deposits to the scramble on the second Wednesday in December. They at least let you get one season over before booking and planning the next. A quick scan of local sites I would use at Easter next year shows I cannot go to half of them as they are booked up for at least one night, i'ts a year away! and the bookings could be cancelled, without penalty three days before.  The Camping & Caravanning Club operate a similar system, taking a significant deposit and operating a strict 30 day cancellation policy ensuring more commitment. I believe there should only be two pitch prices, winter and summer, no peak, shoulder and low, we should not penalise families in favour of those less restricted (I am 78). A transferable deposit should be taken with reasonable cancelletion arrangements. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,150 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #14

    What is the point of a transferable deposit, please? What purpose would it serve?

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,432 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #15

    +1

    Again if some likes the process by the CCC then go there? Why should the club change to match the CCC?

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #16

    Probably because they prefer the CMC sites but are of the opinion that the CCC has a better booking system. IMO the latest system is not an improvement on the previous one.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,432 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #17

    well I would say that to be able to book a HS is the only thing better than CMC system, I don't think having a deposit or minimum stay, or harsher cancellation are better thing? 

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #18

    I was answering your rhetorical question,not necessarily giving my opinion. My view is simply that the new system is not an improvement on the old one.

  • mbee1
    mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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    edited April 2018 #19

    Is booking available on all sites?  I’m looking at a site that is open all year but is “full” or “closed” from 4 January 2019. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #20

    Name the site.

    There may be a closed period for improvement works or works not yet scheduled.

  • mbee1
    mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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    edited April 2018 #21

    Chatsworth

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #22

    I think Ro has already said that Chatsworth will be closed for refurbishment next year.

  • mbee1
    mbee1 Forum Participant Posts: 557
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    edited April 2018 #23

    Hadn’t spotted that. Thanks. Looks like Castleton will be busy. 

  • hazyrob
    hazyrob Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited April 2018 #24

    Well, it seems a good idea until you want to book Whit week - which straddles May and June, speaking as someone that works in a school it is no good booking half a week, what if you don’t get a pitch on the same site for the last 2 days. We also have the same problem in July/August, oh well we’ll book as much as we can and keep our fingers crossed! It should’ve tgat if you want to book a continual holiday you should have that access.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited April 2018 #25

    Booking a whole year ahead does suggest an exceptionally well-ordered life. I keep getting cruise catalogues inviting me to book for 2020. I can't imagine what I'll want to do that far ahead. Some of us must wonder if we'll still be around.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #26

    Well I  had no problem booking in December for the year. We were able to think which three areas we wished to tour during thecouple of weeks leading up to bookind day and then book all sites including commercial and, this year, C&CC sites.

    Not yet sat down to concider 2019

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,432 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #27

    Yes agree with you and have raised this point before, some months should be linked. I hope the club responds to this soon, they said they were looking into it and can't understand why it's taking them so long?

     

  • Wayne and Judie Seaborn
    Wayne and Judie Seaborn Forum Participant Posts: 181
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    edited April 2018 #28

    Brain and Gear comes to mind. Perhaps shows staff don't do bank Holidays or whoever designed the new system does not have a wall planner to look at.

    Worse the once a year scramble

  • wedgy
    wedgy Club Member Posts: 429 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #29

    Any chance of a considered reply from Ro or anyone else at the Towers ? 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,432 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #30

    yes I'm sue there is a chancesmile

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #31

    They haven't even informed me yet that the week I booked at the end of March 2019 at Chatworth is now no longer available as the site is closed for refurbishment. I booked it when the new rolling system started over a month ago and it was originally shown as available.

    Personally I don't think the system has been thought through properly. So holidays are missed, dates released before refurbishment dates are confirmed. I am afraid it smacks of a lack of proper planning. ☹️

    I wonder if I don't cancel the booking I will get a black mark and an email for not turning up.😂 It would be interesting to see. However, I will probably have to cancel it to book something else. I just want to give them chance to change there minds again and decide it is not closing.